Science in Health Live

The pupils were shown how to monitor a patient’s vital signs and learned how anaesthetics are administered for surgery.

What can stop cancer cells from
spreading? How can we harness the immune system to treat disease? Can
our genes make us susceptible to psychiatric disorders?

A-Level pupils from across Wales and the border counties had the
opportunity to discover the answers to these questions and many more at
the University's annual Science in Health event.

More than 500 young people and 45 teachers from 36 schools gathered
at the Heath Park campus for Science in Health Live, which is part of
the Cardiff University contribution to National Science and Engineering
Week.

The event, now in its 18th year, is designed to give
pupils an insight into the science behind medicine, showing them first
hand the range of career options open to them in healthcare, biomedical
and scientific fields. Considerable efforts are made to ensure that
pupils registered on the University's widening access scheme, "Step-Up
to University", are able to attend.

A surgeon in the making removes a femur.

The students participated in laboratory tours, interactive
exhibitions, stand-up science comedy and a series of talks on various
hot topics in medicine. They also watched a Science Theatre performance
demonstrating medical and clinical sciences in action.

The range of cutting-edge technology on display included imaging
cameras that show chemical processes in live cells and revolutionary
modelling software that aids drug design.

Nicholas Alford, Head of Biology at St Cyres Comprehensive School in
Penarth, said: "The general buzz and excitement elicited from the
students and seeing their ideas about future careers being seeded was
one of the best parts of the event."

Science in Health Live is organised by the University's Public
Understanding of Science in Health (PUSH) committee. Dr James Matthews,
School of Medicine and PUSH co-chair, said: "To our knowledge, there is
no equivalent event in the UK of comparable scope and scale. Cardiff
University also has claim to perhaps the UK's only stand-up comedy
neuroscientist in Dr Dean Burnett!

"SIH-Live is also now linked to a series of co-ordinated activities
within the School of Medicine, including the Science in Health Public
Lectures and a novel biomedical sciences work experience programme,
which aims to inspire and inform secondary school students throughout
Wales who are seeking career opportunities in medicine and biomedical
science.

"The positive comments from students and teachers at the event show
that we are going a considerable way to meeting those aims and reflect
the tremendous efforts of a large number of motivated individuals."

Students were able to view bone cells under a microscope to gain an insight into osteoporosis.

Professor Anthony Campbell, Welsh School of Pharmacy &
Pharmaceutical Sciences and PUSH co-chair, added: "Our aim is to excite
young people about the science at Cardiff University that is having a
real impact on medical research and clinical practice.

"The event is designed to allow pupils to discover how an amazing
diversity of basic science, developed here at Cardiff, has led to
discoveries about the mechanisms that cause diseases and how these are
being used to find new ways of preventing them, or to develop new
treatments."

Professor Paul Morgan, Dean of the School of Medicine, said: "The
School is working hard to increase the number of Welsh school pupils who
apply to and win a place at the School.

Currently, less than 20% of our students come from Wales and I would
very much like to see this proportion increase substantially.

"I hope that events like SIH 2012 will help encourage talented young
Welsh students to consider applying to study Medicine or other health
professions, and become the doctors, nurses and other health staff
essential for the future healthcare needs of Wales."

Science in Health Live involves more 150 members of staff at all
levels, from postgraduates to Professors, representing the Schools of
Medicine, Pharmacy, Healthcare, Dentistry and Optometry.